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Medini Mangala: Hello and welcome to Cricinfo Talk. I'm Medini Mangala and as always I have with me Ian Chappell to look back on the last day of the Adelaide Test.
Ian, this Test finally ended in a draw, but do you think there should have been a better result? Should either team have pushed for a victory?
Ian Chappell: Well in the end, the pace bowling was not of high enough quality to enable either side to push foe victory. From India's side, Harbhajan [Singh] had a very ordinary game and it's the same for Brad Hogg from Australia. That made it difficult for either side to attain victory because it was a very good pitch [for batting].
There was the bowling and then there were the over-rates - they were absolutely abysmal. I thought the whole game was played in slow motion. The umpires contributed to the slowness of the game, the players were tardy between overs and it was a game that in a lot of ways that just dragged on.
MM: You spoke about Hogg's performance and now with Adam Gilchrist's retirement, how do you think this current Australian team will fare overseas - especially in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka?
IC: Well there's a bit of thinking to be done with all the retirements they've had in the last couple of years - plenty of changes. I think Australia are well-placed to cover batting changes - maybe opening the batting is a bit of a problem if Matthew Hayden were to go fairly soon. They'll cover Gilchrist's loss quite well with Brad Haddin. Gilchrist's keeping was slipping and Haddin's presence will lift that department of the game and improve the catching cordon. The biggest problem they've got will be covering the spin-bowling hole. Having lost [Shane] Warne, there's a huge hole there and that's not being filled by Hogg. They'll be hoping that [Stuart] McGill can do that job.
MM: Virender Sehwag scored his first century in the second innings. How crucial was this innings for India to save the match and also for his confidence?
IC: I think it was one of the finest knocks I've seen while trying to save a Test. His concentration was tremendous and he looked so secure. Apart from that dropped catch last night, he looked extremely secure. I thought his shot selection was tremendous and even though he was looking solid, he was still able to put the loose balls away and hit the boundaries. I thought it was a magnificent innings and without him India would have struggled. As far as his career is concerned, [this hundred] has shown the selectors that he wants to be in this side and also that he's the kind of player who wants to perform at the big stage.
MM: Ian, it was a well-fought series. Not too many people gave India a chance to even win one Test here. What do you think are the positives India can take from this series?
IC: Well I think the fact that they performed so well away from home in a very difficult environment against Australia. It was always considered a tough series.
Sehwag is a pretty big positive because his career is on the rise again. But the biggest positive they got out this series was the bowling of Ishant Sharma. He's a brilliant, young bowler. He has learnt a lot in this series and to see the improvement that he's made from Sydney to Adelaide was incredible.
MM: Brett Lee has been Australia's biggest positive from this series Ian. He's run in hard, he's bowled his heart out and he looked good to pick up a wicket every time he came in to bowl on a surface that had nothing for the bowlers.
IC: Yes, Lee showed right till the very end what a champion bowler he is. He has improved enormously over the last 10-12 months. His fitness level is incredible at the moment; he's shown he can bowl some very long spells; he's swung the ball right to the very end and his determination was incredible. The other thing about him is he's improved his accuracy and his bouncers are much better directed. He's definitely the linchpin of this Australian attack. The thing is, you need good support bowling for him otherwise because he is prepared to bowl for long spells, you could bowl him in to the ground very quickly. That's the one thing Australia need to be aware of.
MM: That was my next question, Ian. Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma are all youngsters and they are bowling so many overs on the trot. Last night Pathan came in to open the batting. How necessary is it to handle these young players well to ensure they don't burn out?
IC: Well I think it's ridiculous to open the batting with Pathan. You cannot have your opening bowler bowl 30-40 overs in the game and then send him out to open the batting. That's ridiculous.
I didn't agree with it in this match and I won't be doing it again in the future for India.
MM: Ricky Ponting's return to form will spell good news for Australia with the one-day series round the corner.
IC: Australia badly need Ponting in good form and at the end of his innings, he started to look pretty solid. That will be great news for Australia. The only worry is he really struggled with his back and I don't know how quickly he's going recover from that.
MM: Ian, everyone is saying that this renewed rivalry between India and Australia is a little better than that of India and Pakistan. Would you agree with this?
IC: Well I don't know if there is more passion but the competitiveness between Australia and India is greater than it is between India and Pakistan.
MM: Thank you, Ian. We'll hear from you during the one-day series.
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@ Tumbarumbar: Er... Oh yes, Ganguly should've walked when neither he nor anyone else was sure it was a bump ball -- His bat hit the ground at the same time as it hit the ball, so as anyone who's played the game will tell you, one can't be sure at the time. But you know what? Because the umpires weren't as cocksure and self-important as they were at Sydney, they referred it, and the RIGHT decision got made, unlike in Sydney. No one's complaining -- except you. Your deserving world champion side was been beaten at home for the first time since '04, you drew a Test for the first time since '05. Instead of being gracious, as champions, towards the opponents who challenged you, you whinge. India may have to clutch at every straw of victory they eke out overseas, you don't. One expects more from supporters of a champion side. Learn to be more gracious towards opponents who give you an interesting contest, because none of the other teams around the world seem capable at the moment.
Posted by docmeena on (January 29 2008, 04:32 AM GMT)Interesting obsversations.Team India played as one unit that was obvious in Perth.Every one played their part with commitment and a desire to win.The team should play like that in every game,then they will start winning.without an official coach and with all the hostilities shown by Aussie media and poor umpiring ,they rose to the occsion.It is in them but they need to hanve mental strength to execute.Kumble proved to be the captain who coud pull it off.Surley the players must have learnt a lot.When selectors do their jobs without personal vendetta and BCCI demands performance for the sake of National pride things will be for the better,Will they learn ?.Change is one constant in life, hope it occurs soon in BCCI.Money does not play test cricket.Talented players with commitment and National pride will win.Winning by all means is not wise.Cricket is stiil a gentlemans game,It should remain so.It is the duty of ICC to see to it.Test matchs are whwere real cricket is
Posted by plod on (January 29 2008, 03:41 AM GMT)Ian, as per usual, your comments are spot on. Not surprising, as you are still the best captain australia has produced. Enough sucking up. Overseas countries are circling like vultures, saying the Aussies are finished as a superpower. I don't subscribe to that theory. Lets look at the opposition. India, Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar, Kumble, Dads Army revisted, when they go, downward spiral for sure. South Africa, Kallis, Steyn, Gibbs and DeVilliers, nothing else, and they choke when pressure is applied. Pakistan, a lot of promise, but, not consistency, no standouts apart from Yousef, and he has been ordinary of late. England, way off the mark, can't decide on a keeper, Panesar not progressing as one would like, Pieterson not consistent, Collingwood likewise. No Flintoff, no England? NZ, well they're going real well, they have sacked their best quickie, Bond, since Richard Hadlee. No ticker, sorry Black caps. Sri Lanka, rely too much on Vaas, Murali, Sangakkar and Jayawardene.
Posted by toma on (January 29 2008, 03:16 AM GMT)Chappelli you are right for a change. Brett Lee has improved quite a lot but still has a long way to go - man of the series or not. Just look at the approach of Stuart Clark and previously Glen McGrath. Line and length frustrates the batsmen into making mistakes. Lee, Johnson and Tait could all do much better if they sought Pidgeon for a few sessions and see how that improves their performances. I will be shocked if it didn't. Hogg is a fine man but not the replacement for Warnie - memo to Australian selector find one quickly and blood him.Otherwise we will leave tha Ashes in the UK at the end of the next tour- 2009 Glorified coach from an umpiring position - Perth
Posted by Aussie_Nandu on (January 29 2008, 01:41 AM GMT)Enlightening article from Ian. India indeed has found a good bowler in Ishant and its good Sehwag came back into form in this series. What I don't understand is how come Sehwag was overlooked for the "Man of the Match". He scored 63 in the first innings and was instrumental in breaking the Ponting-Clarke partnership. The second innings totally belonged to him. Was this the send off gift to the Master Blaster (considering this is being said as his last test match downunder).
Posted by mahipalc on (January 29 2008, 01:31 AM GMT)I was one of the people who criticized Ian when he suggested Sehwag should have been picked for the Australian tour. I sincerely apologize and I stand corrected. Its now proven beyond doubt that Sehwag is a big match material. His scores and form in the minor games cannot be the criteria for his selection to the Indian team. He is made for the big stage, and he has proved it in this series. I just hope the selectors dont make the mistake of dropping him again, atleast not from the test side. Next time Ian says something, I promise I'll pay more attention.
Posted by starjay on (January 29 2008, 00:59 AM GMT)I am surprised at some of the comments about people not being happy on Ponting calling India as the no. 2 side in the world. It a highly deserved statement and I for one totally agree with his internal meaning. Since their Ashes debacle in 2005 many teams visited Australia and not even one of them left the country with honor, dignity and high spirit. The reason was because none of them played good, decent cricket as compared to Kumble's men. South Africa were whitewashed, the West Indies were smashed, England were trampled, the Sri Lankans (with the exception of Sangakkara's innings at Hobart in the last test) were humiliated. Only and ONLY India were able to challenge the Aussies and in many cases stole the moment although the series score line doesn't reflect that. And folks please remember that series can't be won by individual players. I agree Warne and McGrath were legends but there is only so much that they can do. Its a team game and I am sure India can be damn proud about this.
Posted by usb_1 on (January 28 2008, 18:36 PM GMT)Like many other Indian fans, I agreed with Ian when he wrote about keeping Viru in the team and it was a pleasant surprise when the selectors took him to Australia. But as is the case with Indian cricket, they then consigned him to the bench for the first two tests! If Yuvraj or Jaffar had been in reasonably good form then it is quite conceivable that Viru would not have played at all - and perhaps would have found himself dumped for the next series. In the end a well fought series, with the Harbhajan fiasco adding some spice to the curry. In hindsight perhaps if the team had good a couple of first class games before the test series they might have competed better in the first test. Sad to realize that Tendulkar won't be seen in Australia again. Good to see Pathan at his swinging best, while Ishant showed a trait few Indian cricketers have shown - to grab the chance that comes your way. In the end the better team won and I guess everyone is waiting for the Sept series in India now.
Posted by bis_d on (January 28 2008, 12:55 PM GMT)Ian thank you for enlightening and entertaining us over the last month and a half. You are indisputably the leading cricket authority in the world today. Thank you above all for telling the Indian selectors to pick Sehwag when they had dropped him from the initial touring party, even though they did not heed your advice to play him from the first test. Sehwag is also a splendid runner between wickets, the leading offspinner in the side and a fine fielder now. In fact ironically enough I think his performance here shows the benefits of having an enforced rest. Harbhajan's schoolboy attitude, obsession with the doosra, too much one day cricket and problems with his action mean that he is no longer a credible performer - he knows it hence his worsening behaviour. Murali Karthik to replace him. Pathan should always play as fifth bowler/all rounder, it is time for Ganguly and Dravid to make way for younger blood (give Jaffer and Yuvraj another chance initially). jaihind!
Posted by bouncer3459 on (January 28 2008, 12:19 PM GMT)Its definitely nice for India not to come out of a series with a completely one sided result. On the other hand realistically it has to be realized that the Australian team is gone for sometime now. Most of their major players have retired and without McGrath and Warne they are just a good team and not a great team. There is a lot of inexperience in Australian bowling and batting and this is going to bite them a lot in the next few series or even years. If you compare the experience of Indian batting with Australia there is no comparison secondly Australian bowling is even more inexperienced with the whole teams combined wickets are less than Kumble and all of Australian bowling team has played less tests than Anil Kumble alone. I donot think Ponting is right in saying about India the number 2 team as I am not sure if Australia is still the number one Team. So my Advice to Team India is to be happy but not too ecstatic after winning one test match from a wounded/weakend world Champion.